Cartouche
by Magi Mana
Summary: One-Shot. Mana remembers the day she gave Atem a cartouche for his birthday. What happens to it after he defeats Zorc and sealed himself away? Slight Vaseshipping.


_**This is my take on why the Pharaoh is still wearing the cartouche Tea gave him before he entered the Memory World even though everything else he was wearing was swapped for what he wore as the King of Egypt. Also my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I wanted to write something about a birthday. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters. Enjoy!**_

Cartouche

Mana stared at the bright blue sky. Until a few moments ago, everything was covered in shadows, and Zorc the Dark One was about to destroy everything. _He did it!_ Mana looked around to find her best friend, but he wasn't anywhere. Where was he? He was just there. Why wasn't he there now?

Tears filled her eyes. He said he would come back. Her best friend in the whole world. The Prince she loved, and the one who loved her back. Why wasn't he here? Mana struggled to remember exactly what he said before he went to face Zorc. She couldn't even remember his name.

A glimmer of light caught her eye. Mana turned, and in the sand she saw the silver cartouche pendant the Pharaoh wore. She remembered the day he got that pendant. . .

* * *

Mana stuck her tongue out as she concentrated. Now was not the time for her to mess up. The engraving on the Prince's pendant had to be just right. His duties as the heir had begun taking up more of his time, and Mana wanted to give him something special to remind him that he was always her friend. Not many people referred to him by name anymore.

She sighed as the spell finished. The hieroglyphics weren't perfect, but they were legible. Mana hoped he liked it, especially after all the hours she spent practicing the spell. She wrapped the pendant in a linen cloth and tied it with a gold ribbon. Satisfied her present was ready, she went off in search of her friend.

Mana listened at the door outside the throne room. She recognized Pharaoh Aknamkanon's voice and the Prince's as the heir's opinion was asked about whatever was being discussed. Mana never understood what went on in the throne room. Knowing they were going to be a while, she hopped into her favorite hiding spot: the vase around the corner. Her friend was sure to walk that way once he was done with his meeting. He always did, and Mana always managed to catch him at that corner.

After a while, Mana heard the door to the throne room open, and she recognized the footsteps of her best friend. She waited until he got close enough, and she flew out of the vase and threw her arms around him. The Prince, used to the motion, caught her with barely a step backward. "Mana, why do you feel the need to do this all the time?" he asked, smiling.

"Because it makes you laugh, and it's fun," she answered as she let go of him. She pulled out the package she spent all morning working on. "Happy Birthday! I hope you like it!"

He wasted no time in opening the gift from his best friend. "A cartouche?" he asked.

"Yeah, I figured this way, no matter what changes, no matter how many more duties you have or how many people call you by some fancy title, this will always remind you of being you." Mana looked down, slightly embarrassed at how sappy she sounded.

"I love it. Thank you, Mana," he threw his arms around her in a hug. "I'll always wear it."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Mana returned the hug. "You're my best friend. I love you."

"I love you too, Mana," he said. "You always know how to make me smile, and I don't have to worry about what other people think when I'm around you." He put the cartouche around his neck. "How about we go have some fun since it's my birthday? We could go prank Mahad, but you'll have to be the one who'll have to deal with him in your magic lessons. Though I don't think he would dare punish us today."

"I don't care if he does!" Mana grinned. "Deep down Mahad enjoys our fun too; he just won't admit it because it's not what a proper Prince and apprentice should be doing. And today he'll probably enjoy it too. Maybe we can convince him to help us prank Seto."

"He might actually enjoy that," the Prince grinned. "Though Seto might actually try to kill us."

"He wouldn't dare. Seto needs to lighten up." Mana grinned back at her friend. "He needs to learn to have some fun."

"Let's go see what fun we can make them have then." They went off to see what fun they could have with their friends.

* * *

Mana reached for the cartouche her best friend had worn since that day. Why couldn't she remember his name? She could remember his face, plain as day. There was no way she could forget his tri-colored hair and amethyst eyes. But his name escaped her. Why? Did it have something to do with the magic he used to seal away the darkness? But surely it was still on the cartouche. She engraved it herself. Mana picked up the silver pendant.

It was blank. Like nothing had ever been carved on it.

Tears spilled from Mana's eyes as she cried for her friend and love. The Prince who gave everything to save his loved ones and kingdom. The one who saved the whole world, and no one would remember him. His name was forever lost to history. _I promise I won't forget you completely!_ Mana clutched the cartouche to her heart. _Even if I can't remember your name, I'll always remember you! And I promise I'll find you someday! We promised we'd always be there for each other! And I won't let you break that promise!_ She looked up to the clear blue sky, still holding the cartouche.


End file.
